The meeting in Morocco in July 2006 resulted in the Rabat Process, a "balanced, pragmatic and operational mechanism of cooperation" between countries based on: the fight against poverty, promoting sustainable development and co-development and respect rights and dignity of migrants and refugees. Two years later, ministers from 60 African and European countries met in Paris and adopted a Cooperation program focuses on the management of migration flows whose three pillars are: the organization of legal migration, fight against irregular migration and the strengthening of synergies between migration and development.
The Dakar meeting aimed to "consolidate the Rabat Process and strengthen the implementation of the three-year cooperation program on migration adopted in Paris." It was also an opportunity to adopt a Declaration for the implementation of the Dakar Strategy for 2012-2014.
As in 2006 and 2008, a counter-summit was held this year in Dakar in the margin of the ministerial conference. It brought together citizens and organizations from the South and North that wanted to make their voice heard. The objective of this counter-summit was to denounce "security-oriented" management of migration flows that Europe imposes to African states with their consent. A series of recommendations emerged from the summit including the removal of Frontex.
For more information on this counter-summit and its recommendations (in French) please go on this website
For more information on the ministerial conference please visit the website: www.dialogueuroafricainmd.net